There's an art to the perfect cup of coffee, but even home baristas can master it

THEY SAY GOOD COFFEE doesn't taste like coffee. And I recently tested the truth of this, in pursuit of that elusive thing, the perfect cup. Producing perfectly brewed coffee, which brings out the beans' natural sweetness and acidity without any bitter taste, requires a masterful control of a number of factors—from the quality of the grind to the amount of minerals in the water.

Nevertheless, some coffee geeks believe that, given the right tools and following relatively simple steps, you can get great results at home....

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